397 Comments

Brad Richards is the best proof that building a team with marquis UFAs doesn’t work. He signed a huge contract ($12M/yr for the first two years, $6.6M cap hit until 2020) that is almost identical to Lecavalier’s. He got the big bucks because he was the only prime UFA that year.

At 32 he is no longer a force. 3 goals in 21 games so far.

He’s the top paid player in hockey this year, but is not even going to be in the Hall of Fame. He made it to the all-star game once, and that was as the only decent player on a woeful Stars team.

While I have a temptation for MB to take a look at Corey Perry, I share that same concern. So much capspace is then tied up by a player whom you have to hope blends into the team chemistry and is truly committed in all ways to helping his new team.

Paul, Richards is starting to get the wrath from Ranger fans which will surpass anything the Hab faithful directed at Scott Gomez. That is going to get ugly quickly. I’m guessing that Ranger owner Dolan will have to get his checkbook out and use Richards as his second amnesty buyout after the season. That’s one large check to write though, even for Mr. Cablevision.

I still think there is plenty of time for Gaborik-Richards-Nash to explode together. Not that I love their team after that line, but Richards is a star player who we haven’t heard the last of yet. Example, look at Plekanec last season compared to this year. Not saying that Richards’ contact isn’t ugly though.

This is another one of those penalties that get called so inconsistently it boggles the mind. The other night I saw Lucic scream and vent at an official on the ice and the linesman finally had to grab his arm and skate him off the ice. No additional penalty was called of course as the Bruins must be exempt from these calls. But the lowly Islanders? Bad boys.

I’m excited to see just what Bergevin is going to do next. I could be wrong but I don’t think he looks out there and believes this is a team that’s built to go deep in the playoffs? Again, maybe I’m wrong, I’m just your average fan.

But when you see Gionta, Gallagher, Desharnais out there, three small guys who work their tails off, making up a considerable part of the attack, you can invision them having a tough time, as a unit, going four rounds in the playoffs against a big and physical defense. One or maybe two of those guys making up your top 9 is ok but not three.

Obviously Gallagher is a star in the making so he’s going nowhere, and I’d never want him too. I love the guy. But I have a hard time believing Bergevin will have all three in the lineup together for very long. Maybe it will take another year to split them up as Gionta has another full year left on his deal, and a lot of fans would scream bloody murder if Desharnais wasn’t resigned.

Even though he got rid of Cole, who’s 6’2″ and t plays an off/on power game, I think Bergevin is going to take a crack at one of the big or medium guns out there like a Perry, Clarkson, Horton or to a lesser extent, Clowe or Penner. That’s why he got rid of Cole’s Salary.

I also think he’s going to have to bring in another big bodied defenseman. Tinordi should be ready to go next fall but I’d like to hope Bergevin is searching for an experienced dman to play with him. Kaberle will be bought out and Boullion will retire so there will be a hole to fill.

Bergevin is an old school hockey guy and I have a feeling, whether or not it relates to the score at the end of the night, he doesn’t like watching his boys get pushed out of every scrum, other teams whack away at Price, muscled off the puck or flat out beat up.

I think MB has a bit of a conundrum right now. I don’t think there is any way he envisioned this team being in 1st place in the East right now. I would guess he had a somewhat long term plan for how to build this team for the future with longterm success as the goal.

He faces a difficult decision now, does he veer from that original blueprint to help the team now? Or does he stick with the plan and let the chips fall where they may.

We have seen what happens when prospects and draft picks are traded for short term rentals. We are still suffering the effects of all those 2nd round and a 1st round pick traded away for playoff gambles. While he is in an enviable position, it must be tough. I think this is where Dudley plays a key role. I recall hearing Ludzik talking about how Dudley refused to start sacrificing the future for the Lightning’s short term gain as he was firmly against. He was quickly replaced (I believe he resigned) and Feaster came in to reap the rewards of what Dudley built.

Have to admit I was a sceptic when MT was hired but he has demonstrated his capability. I did not think this team could achieve this record without strong performances from Cole. Have to give credit where credit is due.

I am a big Price fan….but anyone else think he is playing for a roster spot on the Olympic Team ?

If indeed the new alignment of NHL means no team in Quebec City I am happy about this for a couple reasons. Firstly, don’t like the idea of gov’t funding for pro sports teams arenas and more importantly, I still think the Habs get hurt financially by a 2nd team.

It is quite realistic that the Cdn. dollar eventually drops somewhat, and having the entire province available for marketing helps. I realize this second reason is selfish, but I just think from a business perspective having a second team in province hurts them economically.

Possibly, but I think the economic model in the GTA is much different. I don’t see a way the Leafs ever struggle in getting corporate support. Having said that, I don’t want to see Gov’t funding involved in the 2nd arena which would be built either.

Morning guys! Have to agree with Burlington below… dont see the Leafs being as affected financially (possibly) with a second team in Hamilton say. In fact there may be a boon of merchandising for boh teams in Ontario as the competition (new fans etc) would go crazy on a ‘pure’ sports level.

Unfortuunately, I do see the political factors in Quebec being exploited as they were last time by Aubut etc and the Mtl Candiens would be fighting tooth and nail to retain their relevancy among the ‘passionately’ French. I remember being on AOL online community with a group of Habs chatters many years and remember the atmosphere.

Are fans in Quebec City Canadiens crazy like Montreal? I’ve only been to Quebec City twice and it looked pretty blue to me and I got a lot of Canadiens hate. Hard to judge by just walking around but that’s the I got.

Agree, which will once again cause me to root for two teams in the Olympics. Oh well, like the Vancouver games I won’t care who wins as long as Crosby doesn’t score…… oh wait. Forget about that.
CHeers Andrew.

This is a nice friendly joust we can have over Crosby who I have a Bobby Orr-type respect for. At least you’ll have Max Pac to cheer for but unless our Olympic committee has some intelligent selectors and include P.K., we’ll only have Carey to root for on the team.

Is it just me or does the Bergevin trade look like it was too easy? Who would have thought it would be so easy to get rid of 9 million in cap space for a player who was visibly slowing down?
If Bergevein managed to get a third rounder and even a year´s rental of a sniper into the deal you wonder why Gauthier couldn´t pull anything better during his disastrous tenure.
I know Bourque looked ok in the games he played before getting injured, but I´m not sold on him at all. I really fear we will end up wishing we had gotten more on that deal. I´ve a feeling Cammalleri is going to continue to tear it up with the flames.

Not sure I understand how either Steve, however, I am having to guess his statements and such during lockout didn’t help his popularity. Is there still a relationship between fans here and Hamrlik, and did his grating Hamrlik over the coals have an effect?

I don’t think Cole is washed up and soon enough we will be seeing Cole highlights I am guessing.

Mornin’ gentlemen. I believe that Habs fans are acutely aware of the drastic decline of skills that Old Father Time wreaks on many. There was the recent experience with Scott Gomez. Larry Robinson and Serge Savard ended their playing careers elsewhere. One highlight of sitting in the old Winnipeg Arena (no corporate sponsorship names in those days) was getting to witness a Savardian Spinorama which we saw Alexei Emelin pull off last game.

Underneath our “loyalty,” Habs fans and all fans are “capitalists” and if you are not going contribute to winning the next Cup, it doesn’t matter how many past Cups you’ve won.

They sure were! Memory is foggy but Serge may have even been the captain. Team had weakened because both Ulf Nilssen and Anders Hedberg had bolted the WHA Jets for bigger dollars in New York? Sound familiar?

The rape and pillage that occurred during the WHA expansion into the NHL ripped the heart out of that Jets team. As I recall the Jets were able to protect only 2 forwards, 1 dman and a goalie. If memory serves me correct, the Jets protected a young defenceman named Scott Campbell who shortly after had an infection or strange illness which limited his career development.

You can’t judge how the team will look until October, but there could be a glaring hole on RW next year. Gionta and Gallagher, two talented but small wingers. Kristo, the rookie and Leblanc, a player who is adrift right now. Of course, the team could go the UFA route and bring in a one year filler.

I can see another year of Galchenyuk on LW so that either Prust or Bourque can move over to the right side.

Hard to believe that the team is half way through the season. Their performance has to be the biggest surprise in Hab land since the Roy trade. There was a poll for MVP on the site. My vote was an easy one – Therrien.

Gerald, I’ve about had it with this extended winter. Can’t wait to trade in my morning musings for a tee time.

4 more weeks and I am in Myrtle Beach for a week, I have already brought my putter into the house and find myself making a mini putt course throughout my main floor! Today feels like a spring day here in Southern Ontario my friend. We are getting close bud!

Agree. But reading these post it appears many in the fan base come from the “What have you done for me lately” school of thought. Look at the post from the other day after 1 freaking loss.
From a team perspective though, I think Gallagher forced the teams hand with his stellar play. I think this kid is going to be special.

Could have been something much simpler…perhaps he just didn’t want to be in Montreal or Canada anymore. At some point family concerns become a bigger priority. Were there not reports of him wanting to get his kids back to a US school ?

Regardless, he played well enough when he was here so best of luck to him.

I like DD but, regarding the comments, no way Galchenyuk spends another year at LW. It´s already not good for his development. He will have to play centre. Eller, from whaat we´ve seen so far, will also have to play centre, and he´s taken a step forward this year.
The only good thing about the DD situation is that, if I am correct, he won´t yet have much leverage on his next contract, so the team could theoretically keep him if they made a modest offer. But they will have no other choice but to dangle him, and if they receive a good one, he is gone.
I am enjoying this season in part because we may well never have such depth at centre again. I´ll be sad if DD is forced out next year but it does look like the most probable scenario.

Looking at the Bulldogs score sheet from last nights game on AHL.com, it looks like Beaulieu tangled with Evans at the end of the game. Looking at Evans stats, he is a true heavy weight with lots of fighting experience. Anyone see the fight? Hope Beaulieu did OK. That is a lot for a young guy to take on…

Lets hope they keep losing and they fire that idiot Torterella. Man, I can’t stand that guy.

_________________________________________________________
“We know that hockey is where we live, where we can best meet and overcome pain and wrong and death. Life is just a place where we spend time between games.”

Getting back to the answers of the earlier quiz.
1. Greg Pateryn broke his elbow last fall, they were putting pins in and a drill bit broke which was left it in for support. Would like to see him next game, he’s a big body, stay at home guy. would be nice if he worked out considering we got him from the Leafs in the Grabovski trade — I believe we also got a 2 round pick in 2010 (not sure what happened to that pick).
2. Hab killer Alfredson (most of you got it right).
3. Read some place there are actually 12 woman named on the Stanley Cup. Marguerite Norris was the first woman, she was president of the Wings in the 50’s after her James Norris died, the Norris trophy is named after him. And there was co-owner of the Flames that was a woman back in 89 when they beat our Habs.

That second rounder jumped around a bit. After the Habs got it, they traded it to Chicago for Robert Lang. Chicago traded it back to Toronto for a couple other picks (Calgary’s 2nd and Toronton’s 3rd in the following season), and then Toronto traded it to Boston in the Kessel deal. It became Jared Knight.

For a good sample, we have to try the opposite test as well: “MAB is God and Price has great hair”
Edit: Whew! Made it through both the filters and the mods. My work here is done.
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☞ The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. ~ Richard Feynman ☜

Steve, we had all of Subban, Pleks, MaxPac and Price last season, and it didn’t amount to much. I agree about their importance (all of them are key), but I think the character of Prust and the work ethic of Gallagher, combined with great coaching and management – are what make the difference this season. I think that, without those changes, this is still a bottom feeding team.

__________________________
☞ The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. ~ Richard Feynman ☜

A man named Moen whose mien turned mild
Caused many a mad fan to moan melancholic
“Why should Moen the man who’s no longer mean
Make a million and more and not run amok?
For making so much money he should moil malevolently
And not be so miserly in mayhem creating.
Were he to remain so, ever meek, ever milquetoast
A no longer mean Moen would be a great Travis-ty

— “A little song, a little patter, and still I grow a little fatter.” –

Based on the 8-team division, would anyone have preferred to have Carolina (and Columbus) instead of the Florida teams to recreate a bit of that Whalers vibe? I found the Habs/Hurricanes games quite exciting this season so far, and both Boston and Montreal have faced them in the playoffs since the lost season. I miss the ol’ Adams division.

I think Pleks is our first half MVP…most heavily relied upon, dependable forward in all situations, most SOG, most goals, and at or near the top in many other basic stats for Habs forwards.

This is not to belittle Prust’s contributions as he has been a great addition, a pleasant surprise, and delivers an element this team needed.

As for coaching MT has been very fortunate to have a cast of talented guys. His player usage, while not perfect (eg…Markov versus Subban TOI), has managed to bring out the latent talent in guys like Eller, Bourque, Diaz, and of course Prust. They have been utilized in situations that allow them to shine.

I understand. However, the poll question may have been wrong for this team, because I’m not sure that they’ve had one single guy carry this team all season. It’s been by committee with certain guys stepping up at different times. If I could give my own evaluation of those 7 players and what they’ve provided, for example:

Gallagher – tenacious player who goes to the dirty areas, clutch goal-scorer

Markov – The General kept the d-core together in Subban’s absence, great PP man, smart d-man

Pacioretty – Took him awhile to get going, but became a points machine, constantly giving the team a chance to win with his size, speed, and scoring

Plekanec – The glue up front. The hallmark of consistency at both ends of the ice.

Price – The rock in nets. Infallible. Top 5 goaltender in the NHL.

Prust – Jack of all trades, everything he touches becomes better.

Subban – Becoming the #1 horse once more. Does it all on the back end.

Haha, I just checked Eklunds site. (Yes, I’m that bored) Earlier in the day he writes this…

“The most interesting of course being Ryan Getzlaf. With the Ducks playing so well it is hard to imagine they will make a move at all, but when I talk to people in the know they tell me that Cory Perry is the player more likely to remain in Anaheim next season and that Getzlaf is very much “on the fence.”

Then later in the day he writes…

“Update: Getzlaf signs an extension in Anaheim”

Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.

Since I’ve never heard of any of this before (about the first question), I’m gonna say newbie Greg Pateryn. And if a drill bit is what I think it is, that’s most…unfortnate…
2. Daniel Alfredsson. Can’t imagine anyone else.
3. I’m not Josh.

Oh my it is a boring night! Sick of TV, Andree’s foot not completely healed yet so no dancing, grand-kids are all busy, all my old girlfriends are grandmothers, OHL Belleville Bulls are out of town this weekend, my hockey team are strolling the streets in T-shirts tonight, no dope left, finished it 25 years ago, What to do?

You can always practice your drinking. I heard that your form was off, something about you putting too much elbow into it. This can be usually cured by watching yourself drink in a mirror. And always remember that practice makes perfect.

Prust? Heartbeat of the Habs. Needs some help with the heavyweights which I know Marc is trying to address. The Cube finally showed some of that meanness last night that I remembered.I want to see more Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Weber? Give me Frikkin Break! And please give Dumont a shot.He is a tough bugger that can handle his Dukes. Pateryn? I hope for the best.Jury out on that one. Boston is the team to beat in the East amigos.Don”t believe the hype on the Leafs. They will crash and Burn. Bet on it! Saludos!

Agreed. Not easy to find. Marc is looking. Just missed on Sestito. It will happen. And Leafs always look good at the halfway point.Then they start believing their own hype that this year is different. Hey ,maybe this year it is ,but I would take the other side of that bet.They fancy themselves as Bruins 2.0. They don”t have the talent, questionable goaltending,and an over rated captain who is a pussy. Ya heard it here first amigo.

Another thing I used to think was MB was going to get rid of a center this summer. Chucky looks like he needs another year on the wing while DD, offensively, looks for real. I suspects he signs DD this summer and next season decides who goes when it is time to sign Eller.

I wasn’t sold on DD when the year began. (I’m stubborn, I know) But he really has the talent to be a top centre. His size scares me, he’s normally on his butt a lot but he always gets the job done. We have 4 centres who can put up points. A good problem to have. Chucky should continue on the wing for now, but a decision will have to be made in the next 2 years as you said. It will be interesting to see MB’s decision.

Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.

Does anyone realize that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the better team? All the major networks and national online papers are incessant in reporting that the fighting Leafs are Canada’s best team that is currently playoff-bound and will definitely make the first round. To them the Canadiens are still a long shot. God knows they, the Toronto media know what is good for us. They always do.

Young reporter: Josh, talk about your goal tonight.
Gorges: I decided to pinch in when I saw Prusty had the puck on the boards and there was clear sailing in front of me so I
YR: I meant the bigger picture. You’re known as a defensive player who seldom scores so was your goal tonight to get a goal, to let the world know there’s another side to Josh Gorges and perhaps people should look at him in a different light?
Gorges: Unhh?
YR: Or were you, in fact, making the statement that by joining the rush you are very much a part of the mainstream, that, in going on the attack – a very masculine thing to do – you were reasserting your manhood in the most visible way possible?
Gorges: Reinserting my Whaa?
YR: Let’s be frank, Josh. Your reputation is built on blocking shots. Not very aggressive, is it? Pretty passive, really. Some would say feminine. Yet, at the same time you’re willing to take the punishment – just like a man.
Josh: Excuse me?
YR: Josh, looking at the totality of your career in juxtaposition with that defining play, is if fair to say that you’re conflicted, that your sexual identity is in a state of flux? That when you entered the Carolina zone, it was uncharted territory for you but you were prepared to take the risk, that, for you, it was as much a voyage of self-discovery as it was to fire a puck into net?
Josh: Pardon?
YR: And later when you went deep again into the Hurricane end, and set up Eller for the winning goal, was it a case of reaffirming what you had learned about yourself earlier in the game, and then expanding on that knowledge, from firing the pistol in the first instance to loading the pistol in the second, that it was a metaphor for how one’s role in sports, in life, in relationships can swiftly change?
Josh: You’ve lost me
YR: Understandable. Honest truths about oneself are not always apprehended with sharp clarity at the get-go. It takes time, but I think most fans will say tonight’s game was another stepping stone on a Josh Gorges journey of self-realization.
Josh (exasperated): Are you going to ask me a $%#%#$# question I can understand.
YR: Are you gay?
Josh: Well, I am pretty happy. I hadn’t scored in a month.
Old reporter: So, Josh, talk about your goal tonight.

…the one certain thing about Bergevin is One KNOWS the kinds of Players He wants on Our Team and WILL target, either by trade, signing a UFA, draft or nurture and keep in Our system

…He may not get them for varied fiscal reasons, or circumstances out of His control, but You just KNOW He will targetting the ‘Perrys, the Clowes, the Clarksons, the big bodied types that can skate and play the game

…and, I have a feeling those type of players will be enticed to gravitate to Bergevin and Our Team, and be easier to sign than in the recent past

…that’s what excites Me, the anticipation of what’s to come, as much as what is already here

Ya, watching the game and didn’t even realize that was a rule. Very bizarre rule to have on the books. You would think promoting visors would be important to the NHL in light of many recent eye injuries. No wonder grinders and tough guys don’t wear them.

Many people, myself included, are hoping Montreal gets a guy like Perry or Clarkson at the deadline or during the summer. I think there is a 1% chance we get either. There is no way Lamoriello is letting Clarkson go by trade or signing with another team this summer. Same goes for Perry in Anaheim.

And if by some miracle one of them becomes available there will be 20 teams asking about them. They are the most sought after commodity in the NHL. Two tougher guys that score, hit and can fight.

You have to draft these types of players because it is rare that another team would trade one, because they’re so damn good. The Perry and Clarkson types of players are who I’m hoping the Canadiens target in all upcoming drafts a head of other types of players, to a certain extent.

I used to think Perry was MB’s next UFA target but I can’t see him giving any forward(wing) 8 million. I think balanced scoring is what he is seeking (like Boston) and will target another character guy in Clarkson. He can overpay like he did with Prust and still stay in the cap. NJ is going nowhere.

Would love for the habs to get Ryane Clowe. How much would SJ want. Can we do Weber and a 2nd & 3rd rounder. Would that be enough? Too much for a rental? He is the type of player we are missing. Maybe get him signed to an extention before July 1st. What do you guys think. I know we have to build for the future, but we do have a lot of picks this upcoming draft. Plus we had a good haul at the last draft. You gotta have a good mix of youth and experience.

Not sure if he has scored. He is having a rough year, no doubt about that. However, he is a proven 50-60 point guy the past 6 years. Plus he can throw with the best of them(Lucic anyone). I would give up a 2nd and a 3rd for this guy. Maybe have some sort of condition on the 2nd round pick. Maybe give them both 3rd rounders and if he signs an extension turn 1 or 2 of them into 2nd rounders.

So Boone writes about how important he thinks Prust is, and now he’s the MVP of the season so far? Sure, he’s been a great addition, but MVP? Not in my opinion.

Tomas Plekanec has been a steady force all season long, and if I had to choose an MVP, it would be him. However, he has yet again been overlooked by most fans (or taken for granted? Who knows). He is, beyond any doubt, the best all around player on the Canadiens roster. It’s a shame he never gets recognized as such.

I loved the Prust signing too, and thought the term and value of the contract were right on. I think he’s an important role player for Montreal, and definitely the type of player they’ve needed for several years.

I’m really just trying to state that Plekanec is part of the core of this team, and as such deserves more recognition for his contributions, which aren’t always seen on the stat sheet.

I love Prust snd think paying him too much actually had bought value, but then i never thought they were signing him to be a fourth liner. I have no doubt he is great in the room and makes others play bigger than they would otherwise. But he is not close to Plekanec in impact.

I think you would find that a lot agree. Just maybe not the people who voted in the poll.

Yes, agreed that he and both Gally’s absolutely do that. Really, I like this entire team, and it’s actually really hard to single out any one player that is less or more important than another. I’m just really tired of Plekanec being under recognized is all.

So 50% through the shortened season…. who makes this team next year and who is gonezzo?

Gonezzo: Ryder, Kaberle…. maybe Armstrong, but I will not hold my breath on the last one. We have no in our system to replace him, or do we? Dumont? I suspect we will want a veteran 4th liner.

Can Kristo make this team from College? RW + right shot, I for one hope so. Is it reasonable to have him play in the AHL until Gionta’s contract is up? Not so sure about that one as he is already 22 and may take the option of guarantee playing time in the NHL and not sign with us.

I think DD gets signed… as much as I think we need to desperately get bigger in the middle. I get he is talented and all… He has the chemistry with Pacs… but can Leblanc make a come back as 3rd line center…. and no DD with Eller as the 2nd line guy?

Do we not sign Boullion and bring in 2 rookie D… Unlikely eh, that would be a lot of rookies for next year.

Oh well, back to watching our #1 team… caveat, that is #1 in the east…. and owe yeah boston has 3 games in hand and only 2 points to make up and has barely lost this year, which drops us to 4th…. a more accurate placing in my opinion.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Ryder actually got signed to a 1 year deal here which would be funny seeing as thats all he’d get here. DD will be signed, Tinordi might get a real shit deepening on how he develops.

Yeah, I have the same feeling about him as I did about Gallagher last year, I think he will be a good one. So I hope he sticks with us. I am at a conference in Minneapolis and the folks I talk to who are big into the Fighting Soux do not even hesitate that he will sign with the HABS… interesting.

The crazy thing about the Habs being in first place at this stage of the rebuild is that they’re just getting started. They are simply not supposed to be what they’re doing right now.

Before the season people were basically saying we had five guys up front that could create some offense. The Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole line and Plekanec and Gionta on the second line, a player short of quality second line. People counted on Bourque being a bust and not many people saw Galchenyuk and Gallagher doing what they’re doing now. Throw Prust in there and BAM, new team, new look and some new energy.

People looked down the line on defense and thought we were in deep trouble. Subban wasn’t signed, Markov was apparently a shadow of himself, Emelin was shaky, Diaz is tiny, Boullion is expired and the only guy who was capable of do anything was Gorges. Slight exaggeration but pretty close ;-).

But the defense is holding up. Subban and Emelin are awesome so far. Markov and Gorges as well. Diaz is also a big surprise.

Very exciting to be a fan right now. I’d like to believe it but I’m still not convinced, being one of the smallest teams in the league, that we can go four rounds. Hope I’m wrong!

I got snowed in in eastern PEI during the 1972 Brier and ended up watching almost two days of matches. It is a sport that grows slowly on you, but once you actually pay attention — and ignore all the
hurry harder stuff — the intricacy of some of those shots over however many feet of ice is amazing.

Does anyone have any idea how far away Bourque and Diaz are from returning? Some have been critical of Diaz, but nothing makes you miss him like watching Weber.

Also, does anyone have any idea why Shanahan would want to replace his reputation as a great no-nonsense hockey player with a new reputation as a mediocre if not horrible league executive? Does he not have any friends or family that can whisper some wisdom in his ear like “broadcasting” or “coaching”? Why would anyone that was once among the best at something want to spend time clearly being amongst the worst at something else? Maybe Michael Jordan can answer that… question.

From the other night, Bourque & Diaz are progressing but slowly. Diaz should resume skating over the weekend or first of the week. Bourque is obviously worse off then Diaz and there is not a timetable yet. I believe the Habs are really taking their time with concussions now.

Funny to see some posters have the need to tell other posters who the Habs MVP should be. That is what the poll is for. By an overwhelming amount most people that visit this site believe it is Prust. If you disagree, there is no need to explain why those that voted for Prust are wrong.

Hey piper, wasn’t referring to anyone specific. I just had some down time and read through the thread. Everyone has their own opinions. I was in the minority last week when 65% voted for Gallagher over Galchenyuk. I firmly believe Galchenyuk is the best rookie we have had in over 20 years but everyone is entitled to their own opinions, even though any Hab fan with a brain knows our MVP is Price. lol

Noticed the debate concerning Ryder verses Cole trade. Ryder has scored 4 points for us since the trade and Cole has scored… what?… 7 points.
We obviously won on the Salary Cap and a 3rd rounder always has potential but Cole has been dominate in Dallas.

Have to pinch myself cause those results are way over what i expected. Cannot chose an MVP yet but in my book Michel Therrien is responsible for the results. We saw him try many things and most of them worked!
I keep on looking at the names in today`s poll and cannot decide on who was more important in the first half. Plek started everything and still does the little things right,Max Pac is such a spark, we all saw how important Markov is in the big picture…

I could find reasons for everyone to be named MVP .Oh and by the way how much would you give to have Prust now that you know what you know ? Is 10 millions for 4 years overpaid ?

I keep on telling myself not to be too high ,that tough times can occur any day now but they keep on doing the job. I thought they would stay in first place a few days…

Fans who only look at the goalie when a team loses don’t quite understand the game. When a good team has a solid guy in net it’s a strength that can lift them in the standings and go deeper in the playoffs, but he is never bigger than the team. Success comes from all your core players

No “steal” going on here. The Panthers are no doubt the worst team in the league, and the Lightning are crumbling. If we are a team looking to hang with the Bruins and Pens for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, these are 4 points we have to get.

i know belanger has not been great in edmonton but i believe that has more to do with edmonton sucking than belanger being bad. Hes great at faceoffs has some skill and he is a gamer (remember when he got his teeth yanked out a few years ago and didnt miss a shift) i think he could be a great pick up the buy rate shouldn’t be high, we need someone who can win a critical faceoff at key times

Love how the Habs are doing.
Love Brandon Prust. But he’s not the team’s MVP.
Sorry. Prust wouldn’t fill half of Plekanec’s role if he had to try. Same with Pacioretty, Subban, Markov, Price, (and more but I’ll stop).

Fortunately, his job is different from all of the above, and he gets an A+++… but let’s not pretend he’s the most important player on the Habs. I’d expect that kind of uncritical thinking from Loafers. Stay sharp!

If you were going to protect 5 players on the Habs because of some crazy, crazy expansion, Prust wouldn’t (I hope) be on that list. He wouldn’t be on Bergevin’s list, and if any of the Habs players were GM for one day, he wouldn’t be on any of their lists either.

What the players would tell you in front of the camera is hardly reliable.

I think he’s been a big reason for the turn around from last year. He has added a lot of energy and it’s rubbed off on a lot of the team. Plek, Subban, and Pacioretty have been great but the difference is Prust IMO.
As far as Markov goes, well I would have traded him after his fast start.

Some guys are complaining about the Cole/Ryder trade and I somewhat agree with them. Habs will miss Cole’s size and sometimes physical play but I can’t remember seeing him standing up for a team mate the whole time he was here. I could be wrong as I have not seen every game.

I’m sorry but Desharnais’s defensive skills simply are not good enough to be a 3rd line center. Not to mention his size makes it very difficult for him to match up with top end players defensively. I’ve seen DD blow several back checks this season and his career face-off % is below 50%. He does not have what it takes to be a 3rd line center.

He is by far the least versatile center on the team. If DD is not producing points he brings nothing else to the roster. He is small so he doesn’t bring much in terms of physicality and he cannot be relied upon as a shutdown center. He also struggles big time when not playing with Patches. I think he may be the odd man out. I honestly believe that Eller could fill in for him with little to no offensive drop-off and Chucky will be an elite #1 center within the next few seasons dropping Plekanec to a defensive 3rd line which he would likely excel on.

Eller currently has 1 less point than DD in 2 less games, playing 3-4 less min per game, with 47 seconds of PP time compared to 3 min per game and playing on several different lines as well as centering a number of wingers. I get the feeling Eller would excel with DD’s linemates and icetime.

DD is very much a one dimensional player. He needs to put up points to stay relevant. He’s like Max Pac, but without the size factor to dominate.

That being said, he got more points than Rick Nash last year so his one dimension is pretty decent.

The key for him is to come to play every game and be supported by wingers with speed who crash the net. In those circumstances, he can be quite effective.

Because of his lack of foot speed, he’ll never have a Theo Fleury, Brian Gionta or Martin St Louis type NHL career, but yeah, until Chucky or Eller truly come of age and fill out as complete players with size, he can earn a spot no problem. The Boston game showed us he’s still very relevant – even though his detractors give all credit to his line mates to avoid giving the guy his due.

I think the Habs will sign him for 3 years, especially if he delivers the rest of the way and in the post season. He’ll come at a reasonable price and you know what you’re getting with him pretty much every night.

Agreed. Desharnais is no Carbonneau. Not as good a skater, nor as good defensively, positionally, or on faceoffs. Language and team chemistry considerations notwithstanding, I hope Bergevin can trade him for at least a good draft choice, if not immediate help. Might not happen during the season though, I think Bergevin will ride DD as far as he can this year.

I agree. He does not get the recognition he deserves. Some nights he is all over the place and the puck seems to be drawn to his hockey stick. Other nights you do not hear his name as often but he does small plays that nobody notices.

In this year`s edition of the habs i must say though that nobody really is shining more than others. Lots of players deserve to be MVP for different reasons and that`s what you call a…team.

I really believe he gets way to much credit around here. Almost every year he starts off strong and finishes soft. I can’t really think of a Hab, who people use excuses for, more than Plekanec, although Subban is a close second. Everyone realises Plekanec is a very good defensive forward and a 50 to 55 point guy, but some of you act like he’s Datsyuk or something. He’s a good 2nd line centerman in the Kessler, Bergeron mold.

I think we Hab fans over value him too. I look at Alfredson as a comparable. They are about the same height and weight.
Pleks: 5’11” 198 lbs
Alfredson: 5′ 11″ 196 lbs

Last season, Pleks 81 games, 52 points minus 15, Alfredson, 75 games played, 59 points, plus 16. Alfredson was on a team supposedly rebuilding and he constantly mentors young players on his lines.

Pleks has been over 60 points twice, his best year being 70 points.
By the time Alfredson was 30, he had 5 seasons over 70 points, one at 61 points and one at 59. At 39 on a rebuilding team he put uo more points than a 29 year old Pleks. Alfredson makes opther players better, in my opinion, Pleks does not. He is very good, works hard, but if a team made a great offer that would help make the Habs better for the long term, I would deal him.